5 Minute Storytelling and Sharing Something that Made You Smile
How many stories do you have to tell? For some, it is a lifetime of memories. For others, it's their life story. And for those who are just starting out, they might not know what kind of story they want to tell yet. But whether you're an old pro or newbie to storytelling, here you will find some prompts that will help you share your stories about what made you smile in a way that will be meaningful and memorable!
What better way to remember someone than sharing something that made you smile: When we talk about our memories with others, often the ones we remember best involve laughter. If there was someone who always had a good joke or could make us laugh at any time – even when we were really sad – then these are the people worth remembering. Check out the video to write about something that made you smile or help someone tell their story. You can check all the details of the 52 Weeks of Storytelling Series here. Legacy Storytelling can help strengthen family bonds while giving future generations something they will cherish forever!
Week 24 of 52 Weeks of Storytelling – Something that Made you smile
Intro To the Weekly Prompt: Something that Made you smile
This week, how about sharing something that made you smile? Maybe it was a funny memory or story. Or maybe you want to share something uplifting and inspirational with your loved ones. There’s no right or wrong answer! The point is to connect, spend time together and have fun telling the stories.
The weekly writing prompt is something that made you smile. Now, this prompt is super simple. But I've really struggled to pick one thing to share because I'm kind of a smiley person. I just love everything, I'm just happy. Sometimes, though, it's hard to think about a specific thing that made you smile. So, if it's too hard to think about, like over the span of your lifetime, focus on what made you smile today, or yesterday. Or when you see a specific person, what makes you smile when you think of them. That's something you can focus on that's a little more specific.
The other thing about this particular prompt is it's actually one that started as a five-minute storytelling script. That's another free resource that you can find on the website. It walks you through a pre-written script, starting with yes or no questions to help you start a conversation with someone in five minutes or less.
That is a little about our weekly writing prompt and some things you can think about. Take some time to check this is a guideline. You can use any other prompt you'd like. If you have the printed pages or printed journal, feel free to write whatever you'd like in them and cross things out.
Intro to Story example: Stories About the rain and my dad
The story example I want to share with you is about rain. It's actually kind of sad. I love when it rains in western Pennsylvania because I think of my dad giving me kisses. He was originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland and whenever it starts raining I think of him and I smile. That's something that makes me smile.
Rain makes me smile. Have you ever smelled the desert after a good hard rain? There is really nothing quite like it. Or the way the forest looks with droplets on every surface? These are other rainy moments that make me smile. You think about it, and pick whatever makes you smile.
The 5 W’s of this memory that makes me smile
The who would be my dad, that's who I think, what is the rain, when is anytime it rains and where it is I happen to live in western Pennsylvania but pretty much anytime I'm out anywhere, and it's raining, I'm usually thinking about my dad. The digging deeper part is that it makes me feel loved and makes me think of him. For me, this is super important because as time goes on, it's easier to not think about him all the time, and different pieces of him have I've lost in my memories. It's really important to me that I keep his memory alive and that I share him with my kids.
What I Want People to Remember: even sad memories can make you smile
So the bottom line and what I want people to remember about this moment, is that even things that are sad can make you smile, and that's okay! There are so many moments that make up our lives and not every moment is happy. How we process, experience, and interact with those memories is valid and personal. Whatever your feelings are around your memories are yours and wonderful. You get to decide what makes you smile.
What’s Next
I hope you enjoyed my story about how the rain makes me feel and smile. What made you smile this week? Let us know on social! Remember to share your story with your community or help the person you are working with share their story! If you need more storytelling tools, check out 5 Minute Storytelling here.